One to Buy: 35,000km Tornado Red 1984 Audi Quattro Sport
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The Group 4 era that kicked off in 1973 yielded an array of spectacular rally cars.
Some Group 4 models such as the Lancia Stratos and mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo were created specially for the job. Others were sports cars like the Porsche 911, Ferrari 308 GTB and Alpine A110 that got adapted to suit. However, the beauty of Group 4 was that it provided a sufficiently level playing field that comparatively mainstream models like the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, Ford Escort RS, Fiat 131 Abarth and Toyota Celica could compete and win.
When Group B came in, that all changed. Homologation requirements were slashed from 400 to just 200 units and rallying soon found itself in unchartered waters.
Audi had first taken the Quattro rallying in 1981 and went on to win both the Driver and Manufacturers titles in 1982 (when Group B and Group 4 cars were allowed to compete alongside one another). The German firm also won the ‘83 Manufacturer’s crown, but by this stage it was clear the Quattro would need a significant upgrade if it was to remain competitive against the new era of trick Group B supercars.
The result was the Quattro Sport which Audi unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1983.
Based on a massively shortened version of the existing B2 bodyshell, the Quattro Sport also featured a special alloy instead of iron block inline five cylinder turbo engine that produced over 50% more power than a standard UR Quattro.
Although 214 Quattro Sports were built, only 164 were sold to customers and just 10 were Federalised for the US market to promote Audi’s attack on the 1986 Pikes Peak Hillclimb (which Bobby Unser won in a Sport S1).
This exceptional unrestored example currently on offer at the Canepa showroom in Scotts Valley, California, is one of those ten. Painted the popular shade of Tornado Red, it has covered just over 35,000 miles from new and is probably one of the finest Quattro Sports in existence.
